The present invention relates generally to the configuration of an eave connection for the structural frame of a building, and more particularly to an assembly for forming an eave connection which can be easily and efficiently assembled and which allows the height of the structural frame to be adjusted in a simple and desirable manner.
The construction of structural building frames through the use of pre-cut and prefabricated components, such as metal studs and trusses, has increased in popularity as the benefits of such building systems have been realized. While metal framing systems have long been used for commercial buildings, such systems are now commonly used for residential buildings, and provide significant advantages in economy, quality, efficiency of use, environmental effects, and resistance to decay and pests.
Metal framing components are typically recyclable, and well over half of the production of steel framing members, for example, is already produced from recycled steel. Pre-cutting and pre-fabrication of structural members significantly reduce in-field waste, and metal framing members experience few problems with varying quality or dimensional inconsistency when compared with wood. Metal framing members are also termite-resistant, do not rot, and provide additional fire safety in that they are non-combustible.
The major structural components of such a structural framing system will typically be pre-cut to length in the factory or assembly shop, and then installed onsite without additional cutting of such components. However, for structural components such as sidewall studs, which are typically anchored on a concrete foundation, the height of the foundation as actually constructed may vary somewhat from the planned height. Thus, if portions of the foundation deviate from the correct height, the pre-cut sidewall studs anchored on such portions of the foundation will also not be located at the correct height if no measures are taken to compensate for the incorrect height of the foundation.
In order to avoid the necessity of on-site cutting or welding of sidewall studs to compensate for improper foundation height, it is known to provide an arrangement which allows the height of the roof truss portion of the structural frame which is attached to the sidewall stud to be adjusted. Ollman U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,256 discloses such an arrangement in which the roof truss includes a downwardly-extending leg at each of its ends, with the leg then being spliced onto the top of the appropriate sidewall stud to support the leg and, thus, the truss. Although not specifically disclosed in the Ollman U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,256 patent, it is known to splice the leg and the top of the sidewall stud in such a way that there is a range of adjustment for the relative position of these two components. For example, the leg and sidewall stud can be spliced together by channels which are of a sufficient length to allow the leg and sidewall stud to be either butted together or separated by a certain distance within the spliced connection, and this range of adjustment, therefore, allows the height of the structural frame, as formed by the roof truss, to also be adjusted somewhat. In this manner, the height of the roof truss can be adjusted to compensate for differing foundation heights or other irregularities.
However, while the construction shown in the Ollman U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,256 patent provides a structural frame having an adjustable height, it does require additional prefabrication in that the leg portion must be rigidly attached to the roof truss in order to form the complete component for spliced connection to a sidewall stud at the work site. Transportation of the resulting roof truss/leg structural component is somewhat more difficult due to its increased weight and size. Moreover, assembly of the spliced joint between the sidewall stud and the truss leg requires that these structural components be maintained in precise alignment while the splicing channels are securely fastened.
It is also known to provide eave brackets for attachment to the roof truss of a structural frame system. Such eave brackets typically include a channel member which fits over the top chord of the truss, and the channel member is attached to the top chord by threaded fasteners engaged through the top surface of the channel into the top chord. The heads of such threaded fasteners create irregularities on the top surfaces of the channels mounted on the roof trusses, and thereby prevent the mounting of roof decking materials directly to the roof trusses. Instead, purlins must be installed on the roof trusses to create a set of attachment surfaces generally in the same plane in order to provide for secure mounting of the roof decking thereon. In residential construction, which typically involves the use of plywood roof decking, it would be advantageous if the roof decking could be directly attached to the roof trusses without requiring the use of purlins.
The present invention provides an assembly for forming an eave connection which eliminates the aforesaid limitations of conventional building systems by providing for easy and efficient adjustment of the height of roof trusses and allowing attachment of roof decking without the use of purlins.